Convertible Wheeled Patient Aid with Segmented Frame
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current patient aids, such as transport wheelchairs and rollators, are either too heavy for easy transportation or lack the stability and weight capacity needed for long-distance use, limiting mobility and visibility during outings, and hindering functional development in patients.
Innovation Solution
A convertible wheeled patient aid that combines a wheelchair mode and a wheeled walker mode, featuring a lightweight yet sturdy frame with swivel joints, a stowable seat, adjustable leg riggings, and a configurable backrest, allowing users to transition between seated and standing positions while maintaining structural integrity and comfort.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a transport wheelchair is made strong to support user weight, then weight capacity is improved, but the device becomes heavy and difficult to transport
Solution Approach 1:
The device is divided into modular components including a frame, seat assembly, wheel assembly, and footrest assembly that can be independently configured. This segmentation allows the structure to be optimized for both strength where needed and weight reduction where possible, resolving the contradiction between weight capacity and portability
Solution Approach 2:
The device serves multiple functions by operating in both wheelchair mode and walker mode, eliminating the need for separate devices. The multi-functional design allows a single structure to provide both seated transport and standing support, achieving weight capacity requirements across different usage scenarios without proportionally increasing overall device weight
2Speed
If a rollator is used for walking support, then mobility is improved, but the user experiences fatigue over long distances and lacks visibility
Solution Approach 1:
The device allows dynamic transition between walking mode and seated mode, enabling users to alternate between active walking and passive transport. This dynamic capability addresses endurance limitations by providing a seated position for rest during long-distance travel, while maintaining mobility when walking is feasible
Solution Approach 2:
The device combines the mobility function of a rollator with the transport function of a wheelchair in a single unit. This multi-functionality allows users to benefit from both walking support and seated transport capabilities, extending effective travel duration by alternating between modes based on energy levels and terrain
3Ease of operation
If a wheelchair is designed for comfort and stability, then user comfort is improved, but the device becomes cumbersome and difficult to transport
Solution Approach 1:
The device is segmented into collapsible components including a foldable seat assembly and detachable footrests. This segmentation enables the comfortable wheelchair configuration to be disassembled into a compact form for easy transport, resolving the contradiction between comfort features and transportability
Solution Approach 2:
The device incorporates dynamic elements such as adjustable and collapsible components that allow transition between a comfortable, feature-rich configuration for use and a compact configuration for transport. This dynamic adaptability maintains user comfort during operation while minimizing transport complexity
4Weight of moving object
If a lightweight frame is used to ease transportation, then portability is improved, but the device lacks stability and weight capacity for long-distance use
Solution Approach 1:
The device employs composite material construction combining lightweight materials with high strength-to-weight ratio. This allows the frame to be sufficiently light for easy transport while maintaining the structural integrity and stability required for safe long-distance use and high weight capacity
Data Source
AI summary
A convertible wheeled patient aid for assisting a patient in a first transport mode and a second transport mode comprising a frame having at least one wheel, a seat, a handle. A configurable backrest, configurable from a first position to a second position. The aid further comprising a leg rigging movably coupled to the frame from a first position to a second position. A leg rigging retaining member, selectively engageable with the leg rigging member.